Friday night, Cafe Berlin in downtown Columbia presented two artists as part of the True/False Music program. Mesonjixx and Tonina performed with a jazz and soul style while staying true to their corresponding moods.
Mesonjixx opened the night with her psychedelic style of music. Her mother comes from the South Pacific Islands while her father comes from Alabama. Her music is widely inspired by her mixed heritage. According to her Spotify page, “she writes songs to find deeper truths in her own life” in herself and “hopes to inspire others” to also find their truth. While writing her songs, she works with an eclectic jazz collective. She often performs live with a quartet, trio or duo.
Playing with a soundboard and accompanied by a synth, the music was electronic. The crowd swayed along with the calming sense Mesonjixx’s music gave off. Audience member Sierra Wakkure was feeling the vibe as they played.
“My favorite was ‘August Manchester’,” Wakkure said. “It cheered me up and made me think about good things.”
After Mesonjixx finished her set, Tonina came out with the intense cheers of the audience. The St. Louis native got people on their feet and dancing to her soulful music. Tonina writes her own songs, plays bass and writes poetry. In addition to performing her original songs, Tonina performs covers of songs in Spanish and English. Her musical inspiration comes from her family and her heritage.
Growing up, Tonina was surrounded by many different genres of music thanks to her family. Her Sicilian background helps inspire her musical style as well.
Tonina graduated from Berklee College of Music where she received two degrees. She has performed at the National Music Auditorium in Madrid, the Ellas Crean music festival in Madrid and the Catania Jazz Festival in Sicily. She also opened for Grammy-winning artist Lalah Hathaway. She was even placed on a list of former president Barack Obama’s top songs.
Liz Hagens had a great time while watching Tonina, one of her favorite artists, perform. “I’ve been following her for a while,” Hagens said.
The concert allowed the audience to experience different kinds of music. It showed them the serenity of Mesonjixx’s electric music and Tonina’s explosive jazz.
_Edited by Janae McKenzie | jmckenzie@themaneater.com_